Women and Girls
Reaching Out to Women and Girls in Crisis
The hard part was done. Susan had packed up her children and fled one night, leaving behind the husband who had threatened to kill her.
She landed at a shelter for victims of domestic violence and from there began the journey toward empowerment.
Weeks later, she landed a job. On her first day of work, she wore a dress with missing buttons and a stain on the skirt — because that’s all she had. And as soon as she walked in the door, her newly acquired self-confidence waned.
Similar scenarios play out hundreds of times each day. The situation changes, the characters have different histories, but the crux of the problem remains the same – women and girls trying to start their lives anew remain tethered by the physical limitations of the past.
“Know, first, who you are,” said the ancient philosopher Epictetus, “and then adorn yourself accordingly.”
For many women and girls who’ve been victims of violence, the painful work of self-discovery is followed by harsh economic realities. Food, clothing and shelter are often described as the three basic human needs; and yet often, clothing gets pushed aside in favor of paying the bills.
But in a modern society that emphasizes first impressions, an appropriate wardrobe is imperative for people struggling to overcome barriers including poverty, homelessness and abuse.
Women and girls in particular, we believe, must have access to appropriate clothing to assist them in their journeys forward.
One of our new partners is the Girls Education & Mentoring Services, or GEMS. This wonderful organization helps underage girls trapped in the New York City’s commercial sex industry by offering them long-term shelter, financial support and guidance. For these girls, new clothes just could make the difference in their choosing high school over prostitution. After months or sometimes years of wearing clothes that dehumanized them as sexual hostages, we can offer them the chance to feel special – to wear clothes that fit their bodies as well as their souls.
Another partner, the Birmingham Crisis Center, provides assistance to women who’ve been raped. In the immediate aftermath of the attack, the woman’s clothing is often taken as evidence, leaving her sexually battered, frightened, and without clothes to wear. We can help soften her trauma by giving her new clothes to wear home – she can enter the Crisis Center as a victim, and walk out of the door as a survivor.
It would be easy to dismiss clothing as a superficial aspect of healing, an afterthought that follows headier work such as counseling and education. But doing so overlooks the significance of having one’s inner strength and beauty reflected on the outside. Our organization’s name, Dignity U Wear, describes its importance: clothing can carry with it a dignity that reflects and even enhances its wearer’s feelings of self-worth, confidence and ability.
Certainly clothes don’t make the woman or the man. But they can make a difference. Our Women and Girls Initiative is our way of acknowledging women and girls in need of discovering their inner beauty – and a way of recognizing our mission to reflect that beauty on the outside. We invite you to help us. It’s not just a change of clothes. It’s a change of life.
